In a musical instrument having a reed mouthpiece, such as a saxophone or a clarinet, the sound produced by the instrument originates at the reed, which vibrates in an air stream produced from the mouth of the musician. As the reed vibrates, acoustic energy is transmitted from the reed to the airstream, which then passes through the instrument. Vibrations from the air stream are then transmitted from the walls and the horn of the instrument.
The musician controls the notes produced from the instrument by manipulation of keys, but the tone and character of the sound produced are largely determined at the mouthpiece. It is the way in which the reed interacts with the airstream and with the musician's embouchure that determines the characteristics of the tone produced.
A reed which vibrates more freely will generally produce a sound which is mellower or richer to the ear, often called a darker tone. Some reeds produce a sound with more of an edge, sometimes called a brighter tone.
Whether dark or bright, the tone produced by a reed in a particular mouthpiece on a particular instrument tends to persist through the entire range of the instrument. A darker tone is generally preferred by a concert musician while a brighter tone might be preferred by a jazz musician. Of course, any musician may wish to change from a dark tone to a bright tone between pieces, according to the nature of the music. Reeds are produced in varying degrees of flexibility so that the musician can select a reed which will produce the tone he desires. Very often, when a musician switches from one reed to another, he experiences a change in the responsiveness of the reed. More air or less air may be required, lip pressure may vary, tonguing of notes may become more or less sensitive, and the reed may in general be more or less responsive to the musician's technique.
Selection of the optimum reed, therefore, can be of major importance to the musician. Proper selection can be especially difficult for the novice, but it also continues to be of concern to the more accomplished musician. It is common for a musician to search for years for a particular brand, style and stiffness that fit his requirements for a reed. Even having found a reed he prefers, the musician often will sand or file a reed to fit his preference. This problem becomes more acute when one considers the fact that the characteristics of a reed change with use. As a reed gets older, it tends to experience changes in flexibility. Even during use, as the moisture content of the reed changes, its characteristics will also change. This can cause some difficulty in giving a performance as well as causing additional expense in frequent replacement of reeds.
It has long been recognized that a freely vibrating reed is desirable. Inventions attempting to achieve this end have been the subject, for instance of U.S. Pat. Nos. 1,060,946 (clarinet); 1,801,421 (ligature for reed instruments); 2,648,246 (ligature for musical instruments); 2,837,003 (ligature with flutings); 3,618,440 (ligature with inward flanges); 4,056,997 (ligature with variable thickness); 4,185,535 (ligature with grooves and string); 4,210,055 (ligature with adjustable contact member); and 4,275,636 (flexible tie ligature).
These previous devices fail to achieve the freedom of vibration which the present invention can achieve, producing a full, rich tone with a selectively bright or dark sound, while exhibiting a responsiveness heretofore unachieved.
The true tone of an instrument is best achieved by breathing from the diaphragm, to ensure a longer duration of each breath. Shallower breathing results in shorter breaths, failing to produce the best tone. Diaphragmatic breathing is easier for the accomplished musician than for the novice; therefore, the novice has more difficulty in producing the true tone of his instrument. The present invention, because it requires less air, enables the novice to more easily produce the best tone his instrument can produce. The invention also allows the accomplished musician to produce the best tone with less effort. Furthermore, the freedom of vibration achieved by the present invention allows a musician to continue using a reed long after it would otherwise have to be discarded.